Date: Tue, 15 Mar 1994 08:24:00 EDT
From: Song Weaver
Subject: Gay Republicans finding success in Utah
LOG CABIN NEWS
P. O. Box 3493
Salt Lake City, UT 84110-3493
For Immediate Release
March 14, 1994
Contact: Frank Lorhmeyer, (801) 461-5086
Chris Ryan, (801) 521-4053
Gay Republican organization finding success in Utah
(Salt Lake City)- The Utah Log Cabin Club, a gay and lesbian Republican
political organization, announced recently that it's mailing is growing
with over 100 names.
Recently, ULCC embarked on a major reorganization drive which, when
approved by ballots sent out last week, will include raising it's dues to
$20 per year and reorganizing into a board of directors led organization.
ULCC also sent surveys out to it's members inquiring about their views on
gay issues as well as general political issues.
"We want to find out that gay and lesbian issues gay Republicans want to
tackle in the next two years. We are finding out that many of our
members want us to vocal on other issues that affect them. In order to
find this out, we sent out surveys that had questions concerning
healthcare, crime, public assistance, abortion, and taxes.", said Chris
Ryan current president of Utah Log Cabin Club.
The gay Republican movement broke major ground in January when Log Cabin
Republicans, a political action committee and lobbying office, opened
it's doors in Washington, D.C. While autonomous from the Federation of
Log Cabin Clubs (the umbrella organization for all Log Cabin Clubs), LCR
provides instant political access for gay and lesbian Republicans.
Mr. Ryan notes that all it's members are not gay. Many non-gay
Republicans see the need for gay Republicans to come out from their
invisibility. Many of these people find discrimination in any form
deplorable holding on to the idea that what people do in the privacy of
their own homes is their own business.
Utah Log Cabin Club is also seeing a lot of party crossover. "Many gays
and lesbians have told us that they would be willing to support a gay
friendly Republican candidate even though they voted Democrat last
year.", Mr. Ryan continued. ULCC wants to provide volunteer support,
financial support, and most of all delivering the votes for gay friendly
Republicans.
Most recently, ULCC supported a bill in state legislature that would
allow Utahns to treat their life insurance as private property in
allowing it to be sold to viatical companies. This measure passed both
houses with strong Republican support.
For many gay Republicans, the first closet is admitting that you are gay;
the second is admitting that you are still Republican.